New approach to esophagocardiomyotomy: report of forty cases

The major postoperative complications of esophagocardiomyotomy (ECM) for achalasia are peptic esophagitis due to gastroesophageal reflux and recurrence. According to other authors, the incidence of postoperative esophagitis is 15% ot 25%. We report the results obtained in 40 patients treated by our own surgical technique, which is based on precise anatomic and physiopathological criteria. With this technique an ECM without esophagogastric mobilization is performed via a lower thoracotomy with partial perihiatal phrenotomy. There were no intraoperative or postoperative deaths. Two patients had postoperative basal pleurisy which was cured easily in a short time. In 36 of these patients, a follow-up ranging between 15 years and 6 months revealed a complete remission of dysphagia. The patients had significant and speedy improvement in their general condition. Seven patients had substernal pyrosis when lying down, but this was relieved in a few months in six of them. In only one patient did it persist for 4 years after the operation. Ph-manometric serial control studies performed in all the patients revealed, except in one case, normal pressure and pH values in the lower esophagus. Because of these results, we consider our ECM technique very effective in the treatment of achalasia.